1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hanging strings of decorative lights on a home or building and more particularly, to a clip for removably attaching lamp sockets with magnetic bases of a string of decorative lights to a home or business building.
2. Description of Related Art
Hanging decorative lights on homes or buildings is typically done to celebrate festivals and holidays such as Christmas. Strings of lamps, each comprising a socket and a bulb, are often hung by plastic holders or by spaced-apart nails or staples which are inserted into molding boards along a roof line or down edges of the home or building to hold the wires interconnecting each of the lamps. However, plastic holders break and nails and staples rust. Further, unsightly nails or holes result after the strings of lamps are removed.
It is desirable to have a ferrous metal device or clip that attaches to a house or building for holding strings of lamp sockets with magnet bases, and when the strings of lamp sockets are removed, the device or clip cannot be seen when painted and lasts year after year. Further, it is desirable to have a clip that enables one person to hang a string of magnet lamp sockets in a horizontal or inclined direction. Once the clips are attached, strings of magnet lamp sockets are attached in the same locations every year.
Other examples of known devices in the art related to the mounting of continuous strands of decorative lights are disclosed in the following U.S. patents and patent Publications:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,310 discloses a Christmas outside light holder comprising a hollow plastic cylinder open at one end and sealed off at the other end. A hole at the sealed end receives a screw for attaching the cylinder to molding on a house. Slots in the cylindrical walls receive the wires of the string of lights. However, this light holder is subject to breakage, and it requires more time to insert a screw and to line up the wires in the slots, which time becomes significant when installing many on a house or building.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,362 discloses a light string fixing structure which mainly includes a fixing seat and a lampholder detachably connected to the fixing seat. The fixing seat can be fixedly mounted onto a desired position by extending a nail or screw in through a centered hole of the fixing seat into a wall surface or by glue or double-side adhesive tape. The lampholder has a flange around a rear end and the fixing seat is provided around a periphery with claws, such that when the lampholder is backward pushed into the fixedly mounted fixing seat, it is retained in place in the fixing seat by the engagement of the claws with the flange. However, the fixing seat with claws is limited to use with a lamp socket that requires a flange around the periphery of its base. The fixing seat is made of plastic so it will not attract a magnet in the base of a lamp socket. Also, plastic fixing seats break especially when pulling a lampholder out of the clamps on the fixing seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,697 discloses a decorative light support device comprising a bulb retention portion having an aperture and an affixation portion coupled to the bulb retention portion. The affixation portion comprises a first straddle member and a second straddle member. The first and second straddle members are configured to straddle an overhang portion of a roofing material and to at least partially affix the decorative light support device to the roofing material. The upper and lower straddle members have magnets for securing to a metal roof material instead of using a fastener. However, this light support device takes considerable time to install on a roof edge in comparison to the time to install the present invention for use with lamp sockets having a magnetic base.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,779 discloses a magnetic light fixture having a neodymium disc magnet embedded in the base allowing the assembly to be mounted magnetically to metal surfaces and having a pull strength of at least five (5) pounds. This invention is suitable for quick installation of strings of decorative lights when used with the present invention which is made of a ferrous metal such as steel that attracts magnets.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0185370 discloses a Christmas light clip with magnets which has an elongated base, a post extending upward from the base, and a support arm extending from the post parallel to the base in cantilever manner. The support arm terminates in a resilient, C-shaped clamp adapted for gripping a Christmas light bulb socket. At least one magnet is attached to the bottom surface of the base, and is adapted for attaching the base to a metallic structure, such as a roof, a gutter, a window frame, etc. A plurality of the Christmas light clips may be used to attach a string of lights to the metallic roof. However, this light clip with magnets is limited to use on a ferromagnetic surface, whereas the present invention can be applied to various surfaces.